Explosive and/nand logic element

ABSTRACT

An explosive controlled rectifier, an explosive AND/NAND logic element and a three-input-seven-output explosive logic element. The three-input-seven-output explosive logic element comprises four explosive AND/NAND logic elements. Each explosive AND/NAND logic element has two inputs and three outputs and includes one explosive controlled rectifier.

nited States Patent Menz et al.

[451 Aug. 21, 1973 EXPLOSIVE AND/NAND LOGIC ELEMENT [75] Inventors: FredL. Menz; Michael R. Osburn,

both of China Lake, Calif.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Navy, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed: Sept. 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 181,994

[52] L5. Cl. 102/22, lO2/DlG. 2 [51] Int. Cl. F42d 1/04, C06c 5/04 [58]Field of Search 102/22, DIG. 2

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,430,564 Silvia et al.102/22 3,496,868 2/1970 Silvia et al. 102/22 Primary Examiner-Verlin R.Pendegrass Attorney-R. S. Sciascia and Roy Miller 5 7] ABSTRACT Anexplosive controlled rectifier, an explosive AND/- NAND logic elementand a three-input-seven-output explosive logic element. Thethree-input-seven-output explosive logic element comprises fourexplosive AND/NAND logic'elements. Each explosive AND/- NAND logicelement has two inputs and three outputs and includes one explosivecontrolled rectifier.

2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,402

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A+B FIG. I.

SYMBOL Patent ed Aug. 21, 1913 3,753,402

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 SYMBOL n FIG. 4. FIG. 5.

Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,402

4 Shoots-Sheet 4.

OUTEUTS D C DE CE CD CDE 8 BE BD BDE A AE AD ADE BC BCE 8CD AC ACE AC DABE ABD DETONATOR N PUTS FIG. 8.

This invention pertains to a multi-input-multi-output explosive logiccircuit. 7

In the past, explosive logic elements such as the one disclosed in thepatent to Silvia et al., U. S. Pat. No.

3,340,564, require time delays along the explosive path in order toprovide a number of outputs greater than the number of inputs to thelogic element. The present invention requires activation of singleinputs along or simultaneous activation of single inputs. By eliminatingthe need for time delays in the explosive circuits, the presentinvention has greatly increased the reliability of a given explosivelogic circuit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventions include athree-input-sevenoutput-explosive logic element including four explosiveAND/NAND logic elements. Each AND/NAND logic element is atwo-input-three-output circuit and includes an explosive controlledrectifier. A primary advantage of the present invention is that it doesnot require the input to be initiated in a particular order in order toobtain a particular output, but rather requires only that the input beinitiated individually or that a plurality of inputs be initiatedsimultaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a destructive crossoverof an explosive trail and the symbol therefor;

FIG. 2 shows an explosive diode and the symbol therefor;

FIG. 3 shows an explosive controlled rectifier and the symbol therefor;

FIG. 4 shows an OR logic element and the symbol therefor;

FIG. 5 shows a multi-input (OR) logic element;

FIG. 6a shows the explosive paths of an AND/NAND logic element;

FIG. 6b shows a schematic representation of an AND/NAND logic element;

FIG. 60 shows a symbolic representation of an AND/- NAND logic element;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a three-input-seven-outputlogic element; and

FIG. 8 shows a five-input-25-output logic element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT To perform functionsexplosively, this invention uses the corner effect" as described in theUS. Pat. to Silvia et al., No. 3,496,868, dated Feb. 24, 1970.

An example of the corner effect is seen in the destructive cross-over ofFIG. 1. In this destructive crossover, an explosive reaction starting atA will propagate to B without turning the comer at the intersection andtraveling to x or y. Having crossed the intersection it will also havesevered the path from x to y thereby preventing subsequent transferbetween these points. This element allows an explosive reaction ineither direction along either path while allowing only the reactionwhich arrives at the intersection first to be transmitted across theintersection.

A further use of the corner effect is seen in its emexplosive diodeworks like its electronic counterpart in that the reaction is onlyallowed to pass in one direction. If the reaction starts at the fore endA, it travels to B where it branches.

The straight path from B to C is shorter and therefore the detonationtraveling along the straight path arrives at C prior to the detonationtraveling along the curved path, thereby severing the path to the aftend D without turning the corner. When the reaction following the curvedpath arrives at C it is unable to pass through the 10 junction andtherefore stops. Thus, an explosive reaction started at the fore endwill never reach the aft end. However, a reaction starting at the aftend proceeds along the curved path to the fore end without beingimpeded.

An explosive diode is used as a building block for an explosive controlrectifier as shown in FIG. 3. The explosive controlled rectifier issimilar to the electronic counterpart except that unlike its electroniccounterpart it does not perform a blocking function in the reversedirection.

In FIG. 4 is seen an OR logic element and the symbol therefore whileFIG. 5 shows a multi-input OR logic element and the symbol therefore.The OR logic elements have narrow portions where the inputs meet so thatthe inputs will turn the comer 45 and continue towards the right of thepage but will not make a turn to the left. This is due to the cornereffect. Thereby the circuit may have several inputs but only one output.

Physically the explosive controlled rectifier is constructed like thediode but with the addition of a gating path from F to E. With adetonation starting at the fore end A, the rectifier acts like the diodein that the detonation will be stopped at C. However, if the gating pathis initiated first, it propagates upwardly and severs the path from B toC at E. Consequently, when the reaction is started at the fore end, itproceeds from A to B and branches. The straight leg is stopped at E andthe curved portion is allowed to proceed to D. Thus, for a reaction topropagate through the explosive controlled rectifier from A to D, therectifier must have previously been gated by initiating F.

By utilizing the explosive controlled rectifier and the destructivecrossover, an AND/NAND logic element as shown in FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c maybe constructed.

With the AND/NANd logic element of FIG. 60 it is possible to derivethree distinct outputs from two distinct inputs. For example, assumethat inputs are received at source input A, and gate input B,simultaneously. The reaction started at A, proceeds to l, a destructivecrossover, and propagates across, thus severing the path leading to gateoutput 8,. The reaction continues, branching at 2, to 3 and 6. Duringthis period the reaction started at B, has traveled to 7, branched to 4and 6, and arrived at the destructive crossover at 6 prior to thearrival of the reaction started at A,. Thus the reaction coming from 2to 6 is stopped at 6. Also, the path from 6 to B,, has been severedat 1. Meanwhile, at 4, the reaction from B, has arrived prior to thereaction from A,. The path from 3 to 5 is, therefore, severed. When thereaction from A, reaches 3, it follows the curved path leading to 5 andon to the desired simultaneous-input output A, B,,.

If a reaction is started only at A,, the reaction travels across thedestructive crossover at 1 and branches at 2. It continues on to 3, 4and 5 thus severing the path to A B The second branch at 2 travels to 6and onto source output A,,.

In a similar manner, a reaction started at B, travels to 7 where itbranches to 4 and 6. The reaction ceases at 4, but continues from 6 to land onto B,.

It is thus seen that with the AND/NAND logic element, two inputs may beused to obtain three distinct outputs.

A three-input-seven-output logic element as shown schematically in FIG.7 may be constructed by using four AND/NAND logic elements.

For example, if the AC output were desired, simultaneous reactions wouldbe started at inputs A and C. Following the path of the reaction of theinput A, it is seen in FIG. 7 that the path would travel across thedestructive crossover at 1 and to the branch at 2 where one path wouldlead to the ungated explosive controlled rectifier and die and the otherpath would proceed across the destructive crossover at 3 and onto 4 ofAND/NAND element IV. Meanwhile, the reaction started at input C wouldtravel to AND/NAND II and branch at 5. One branch will gate theexplosive controlled rectifier and die while the other branch willproceed across the destructive crossover at 6 and across the destructivecrossover at 7 and onto AND/NAND Ill. The path follows the same patternas in AND/- NAND [I along points 8, 9 and 10 and onto AND/- NAND IV. Thepath will branch at 11 and continue on to gate the explosive controlledrectifier at 12. The other path will continue across the destructivecrossover at 13 and will die at the destructive crossover at 14 whichhas been previously crossed by path A. Meanwhile, path A will havebranched at 4 with one leg proceeding to the previously crosseddestructive crossover at 13 and dying while the other path proceedsthrough the previously gated explosive controlled rectifier and ontooutput AC.

It is to be noted that to obtain the proper sequencing of events theexplosive paths are designed such that the length of the path divided bythe detonation velocity of the explosive gives the desired time delay.

The three-input-seven-output logic element of FIG. 7 can be combinedwith other like elements in a stacking arrangement as shown symbolicallyin FIG. 8. The total combinations possible are given by:

where N total number of inputs R number of simultaneous inputs P numberof outputs For example with five inputs: P= 5!/(5 3)!3! 5l/(5-2)!2!+5!/(5- l)!=25 outputs What is claimed is:

1. An explosive logic circuit comprising:

first and second destructive crossovers;

said destructive crossovers comprising two explosive paths which crosseach other generally orthogonally and the portions of said paths crossare narrowed so that a detonation wave traveling along one of said pathswill not be transferred along the other of said paths due to a cornereffect;

an explosive controlled rectifier;

first and second explosive paths for receiving explosive inputs intosaid circuit;

said first and second paths each branching into first and secondbranches;

said first path crossing said first branch of said second path at saidfirst destructive crossover;

said first branch of said second path crossing said first branch of saidfirst path at said second destructive crossover;

said second branch of said second path comprising a gating path for saidexplosive controlled rectifier and said second branch of said first pathbeing connected to the fore end of said explosive controlled rectifier.

2. An explosive logic circuit comprising:

first, second and third paths of explosive material for receivingexplosive inputs into said circuit;

first, second, third and fourth explosive AND/NAND logic elements; saidpaths being connected to said first and second logic elements;

said first path being the source input for said first logic element;

said second path being the gate input for said first logic element;

said third path being the gate input for said second logic element;

the gate output of said first logic element being connected to thesource input of said third logic element;

the source output of said first logic element being connected to thesource input of said fourth logic element;

the simultaneous-input output of said first logic element beingconnected to the source input of said second logic element;

the gate output of said second logic element being connected to the gateinput of said third logic element; and

the gate output of said third logic element being connected to the gateinput of said fourth logic element;

whereby explosive inputs into either of said first,-second or thirdpaths alone, any two of said first, second or third paths simultaneouslyor said first, second and third paths simultaneously can produce atleast seven different outputs.

s: e a 4 e

1. An explosive logic circuit comprising: first and second destructivecrossovers; said destructive crossovers comprising two explosive pathswhich cross each other generally orthogonally and the portions of saidpaths cross are narrowed so that a detonation wave traveling along oneof said paths will not be transferred along the other of said paths dueto a ''''corner effect;'''' an explosive controlled rectifier; first andsecond explosive paths for receiving explosive inputs into said circuit;said first and second paths each branching into first and secondbranches; said first path crossing said first branch of said second pathat said first destructive crossover; said first branch of said secondpath crossing said first branch of said first path at said seconddestructive crossover; said second branch of said second path comprisinga gating path for said explosive controlled rectifier and said secondbranch of said first path being connected to the fore end of saidexplosive controlled rectifier.
 2. An explosive logic circuitcomprising: first, second and third paths of explosive material forreceiving explosive inputs into said circuit; first, second, third andfourth explosive AND/NAND logic elements; said paths being connected tosaid first and second logic elements; said first path being the sourceinput for said first logic element; said second path being the gateinput for said first logic element; said third path being the gate inputfor said second logic element; the gate output of said first logicelement being connected to the source input of said third logic element;the source output of said firSt logic element being connected to thesource input of said fourth logic element; the simultaneous-input outputof said first logic element being connected to the source input of saidsecond logic element; the gate output of said second logic element beingconnected to the gate input of said third logic element; and the gateoutput of said third logic element being connected to the gate input ofsaid fourth logic element; whereby explosive inputs into either of saidfirst, second or third paths alone, any two of said first, second orthird paths simultaneously or said first, second and third pathssimultaneously can produce at least seven different outputs.